Essay writing diagnostic

Online based resource

Welcome to the Essay writing diagnostic. This interactive resource focuses on improving the structure of your essays by giving you the opportunity to select options most relevant to your experience. It then provides you with a series of priority actions which should assist you in adopting sound essay writing and structuring techniques.

Some of the feedback from tutors that indicates a need to improve the structure of writing may include:

A logical plan for your material would have improved this essay

Watch your paragraph structure

Ensure that you make your points in a coherent order

All these comments refer to the fact that a good essay should be carefully structured so that each point follows on from the other in a logical order that makes sense to the reader. The essay should begin with a clear introduction followed by logically sequenced paragraphs and then an effective conclusion. This clarity of structure needs to continue within paragraphs and within sentences as well.

To look at the best way for you to improve your essay structure at all of these levels, you need to identify your typical approach to essay writing. The pie charts below show four ways of dividing your time in essay writing. Click on the one that is nearest to your approach to select advice best suited to your way of working.